Biodiversity and Ecology of Lepidoptera Larvae in Rainforest and Cash Crops in Sumatra, Indonesia

My PhD research focuses on the diversity of canopy arthropods, particularly the larvae of Lepidoptera (caterpillars) and their ecological functions. Lepidoptera larvae are recognised for their ability to feed on living plants (phytophagous) by chewing, boring, mining or forming galls. Certain larvae are scavengers on deceased plant debris or feed on dead vegetation on the forest floor. While some larvae are known to eat algae, others consume stored products. To obtain data on the abundance, richness and community composition of the caterpillars, my research intends to get an insight into energy fluxes and the trophic position of caterpillars in the canopy food web. Through the CRC990/EFForTS-Z02 project, caterpillar samples from the canopy of trees were collected in 2013, 2017, 2021 (Landscape Assessment) and 2022 (Biodiversity Enrichment Experiment) from Bukit Duabelas and Hutan Harapan in Jambi Province of Indonesia.

My scientific background is in insect ecology and taxonomy due to my bachelor and master studies at IPB University, Indonesia. I studied population structure of and predation by staphylinid beetles for my bachelor thesis. Meanwhile, the subject of my master thesis was the diversity of whiteflies (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) on crops in Indonesia.